The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1887-03-17
agitation was just beginning, took his
position boldly as an abolitionist.


father at Lane Seminary, Cincinnati.
Here he was thrown into ii life full Of
excitement, activity and controversy
Cincinnati, removed from slave terri
tory only by the width of the Ohio
River, was convulsed with the contest
between the shareholders and Aboli-
tionists Steamboats,. the decks of
which Were covered with chained
gangs of slaves, passed daily by the
wharves, white the Ohio River whert
it passed between slave and free terri
tory was lined with the headquarters
of Abolitionst societies bent on aiding
slaves to escape. The air was electri-
cal with excitement, and the young
man, thrilling at the prospect of the
coming fight, felt his ardor redoubled
before the obstacles and opposition
that confronted all Abolitionists. In
1886 he appeared first publicly as the
champion of the anti-slaverv cause
The utterances of The Philanthropist,
an anti-slavery paper in Cincinnati.
edited by James G.. Birney, slave
holder who had emancipated his slaves,
became offensive to the strong pro-
slavery element. A riot broke out,
and for week Cincinnati was over
run by mob headed bv Kentucky
Shareholders. Young Beecher asked
to hc sworn in as one of the special
policemen, ard armed with pistol
patrolled the streets. At this time, in
thu sabsrnce Of Mr.. Brainard, he was
for few months occupying the edito-
rial Chair in the office Of the Cincin-
natl Journal, the organ of the New
School Presbyterian Church. and his
Indignation over the Birney riot found
vent In some pungent editorials, which
produced marked effect.
In 1887 Mr.. Beecher concluded his
theological studies. He married Mrs.
E. w. Bullard, and, taking the first
offer made him, settled over Presby-
terian church in Lawrenceburg, a lit
tie town ON the Ohio, not far from
Cincinnati Here he preached for two
years in small church, performing
all the duties of sexton-sweeping the
house, making the fires, and doing ev-
erything, as he said, "but coming to
hear myself preach-that they had to
do A larger field Of usefulness was
opened in 1889 by a call to Indianap-
oils, then town of about twenty-five
hundred inhabitants. Here lived and
labored for eight years, and here his
influence as speaker, writer and
thinker began to make itself strongly
felt. His new style Of preaching
crowded his church and began to
spread his fame abroad. In the third
year of his ministry great revival
began, which spread throughout the
State A member Of his church wrote
of him: "It is not improper, however,
to speak of the pastor in that revival
as he is remembered by some Of the
congregation, plunging through the
wet streets, his trousers stuffed in his
muddy boot-legs, earnest, untiring,
swift; with merry heart, a glowing
face and helpful word for every one;
the whole day preaching Christ to the
people where he could find them, and
at night preaching still where the peo-
pie could find him. The growth in
his church that sprang from this re-
vival continued throughout his pas
torate.
There was then a feeling in the
Church almost throughout the coun-
try, which was especially strong in
Indianapolis, against discussions on
slavery from the pulpit. Some of Mr..
Beecher's most prominent parishion-
ers were bitterly opposed to the SUBJ
iect being even publicly named by
Christian minister. But he empha-
sized his position by early introducing
into the Synod resolution declaring
that every minister should preach
thorough exposition and condemna-
tion of slavery Thereupon he preach
ed three sermons upon the life Of Mo-
ses, the bondage Of the children of Is
rael under Pharaoh and their deliver
ance His hearers. who had comfort
ably settled themselves to listen to a
rebuke of the Old Testament culprits,
were electrified by searching and
merciless expose of the horrors Of
American slavery and a scathing de-
nunciation of the whole institution
There was talk and excitement, of
course, but Mr.. Beecher persisted in
openly attacking the great wrong, and
through his persistence his church be-
came one Of the strongholds Of the
anti-slavery cause
Life in the West then was free and
unconventional, sometimes even to
the extent of license, and Mr.. Beech
er preached series Of powerful ser
mons against these popular vices
which were afterward published as
Lectures to Young Men"
Mr.. Beecher never engaged In con-
troversial strife on points of doctrine.
Ministers Of every denomination were
welcomed at his home-a cottage on
the outskirts of the town-inspected
his beloved garden or shared his rides
over the rolling praires. In his leisure
hours his love for nature found scope
for enjoyment. He edited horticul-
tural paper, read books on gardening,
farming and stock-raising, imported
and set out roses and fruit trees, and
attended to the wants of his Berkshire
pigs and Durham Cows. By 1947 the
membership Of his church had increas-
ed from thirty-two to 275, and it was
regarded as one of the strongest in the
State.
CALLED TO PLYMOUTH CHURCH.
In 1916 a lot of land on Cranberry
street, Brooklyn, which had been oc-
cupied since 1923 by the First Presby-
terian Church. was purchased by John
7. Howard with the idea of establish
ing a Congregational Church. On
May s, 1847, David Hale, of New
York, Ira Payne, John T. Howard,
Charles Rowland, David Griffin and
Henry G. Bowen met at the house of
the latter, resolved themselves into an
association Of Trustees of the new
church, and decided to begin holding
services at once. In the following
week Mr.. Beecher came to New York
to speak at the anniversary of the
American Home Missionary Society,